Latest news with #NicotineReplacementTherapy
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First Post
7 days ago
- Health
- First Post
Doctor explains: Smoking doesn't relieve stress — here's what really happens
Tobacco use may provide temporary stress relief by triggering dopamine release in the brain, but over time it leads to dependence, ultimately worsening anxiety and stress. Effective quitting methods include nicotine replacement therapies, medications, and behavioral support. Firstpost brings out expert insights on understanding and overcoming tobacco addiction. read more Tobacco use continues to be a leading cause of preventable diseases and death in India, with rising concerns over its impact on both physical and mental health. Beyond its well-known link to cancer and heart disease, tobacco use is deeply tied to issues like stress, infertility, skin damage and even silent heart conditions. To raise awareness and dispel common myths, Dr. Vikas Mittal, Director - Pulmonologist, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi talked to Firstpost to shed light on the often-overlooked dangers of tobacco and how individuals can effectively quit the habit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How does tobacco use affect the brain, especially to stress and anxiety? Tobacco contains nicotine, which, upon reaching the brain, triggers the release of dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and stress relief. This creates a temporary sense of relaxation. However, over time, the brain becomes dependent on nicotine to maintain this effect. When nicotine levels drop, withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and stress emerge. This leads to a vicious cycle where smoking appears to relieve stress, but actually contributes to and intensifies it over time. What are some scientifically proven ways to manage tobacco cravings effectively? There are effective medical treatments for managing tobacco addiction. Pharmacological therapies like Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)—including nicotine gums, patches, and lozenges—are widely used. Medications such as bupropion and varenicline can also reduce cravings and ease withdrawal. Behavioral interventions, particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and lifestyle modifications play a crucial role in increasing the chances of quitting successfully. Why is early exposure to tobacco particularly dangerous for adolescents, and how quickly can dependence develop in youth? The adolescent brain is still developing, making it highly vulnerable to nicotine. Exposure during teenage years can lead to addiction quickly—sometimes within weeks. Early use not only increases the risk of lifelong dependence but also makes the brain more susceptible to other addictions, including illicit substances. What are some of the underestimated short-term health improvements people often experience within weeks of quitting tobacco? Health improvements begin almost immediately after quitting. Within 20 minutes, heart rate and blood pressure drop. In 48 to 72 hours, taste and smell begin to improve, and carbon monoxide levels normalise. Lung function can improve within two to three weeks, reducing coughing and breathlessness. These early benefits are encouraging and crucial in motivating continued cessation. What impact does smoking have on skin health and sexual well-being? Smoking causes premature aging and wrinkles due to reduced blood flow. It impairs wound healing, especially post-surgery. In men, smoking can lead to impotence and erectile dysfunction. In women, it reduces fertility, affects egg quality, and can cause early menopause. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and complications for both mother and baby. Can diet play a role in helping someone quit tobacco? If so, which foods are most beneficial? Yes, a healthy diet supports quitting efforts. Foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals—like fruits and vegetables—can curb cravings. Dairy products may make cigarettes taste unpleasant. Fruits high in vitamin C, such as oranges and guavas, help reduce oxidative damage. Caffeine and alcohol should be avoided as they can intensify nicotine cravings. What are the most common triggers for relapse, and how can they be avoided? Common relapse triggers include peer pressure, stress, emotional instability, and alcohol. Avoiding smoking environments and individuals who encourage the habit is crucial. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle—adequate sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet—can improve emotional resilience. Identifying personal triggers and replacing them with alternatives like chewing gum, walking, or hobbies is key. Support from family, peers, or cessation groups also greatly helps. How dangerous are silent symptoms of tobacco-induced heart conditions, and what should people watch for? Silent symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness, fatigue, and persistent coughing are often ignored. These signs may indicate serious damage to the heart and lungs. Smokers should be alert to these symptoms and undergo regular heart and lung screenings to detect conditions early and manage them effectively. How do nicotine replacement therapies compare to natural cessation strategies like lifestyle changes and dietary support? Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is proven to reduce withdrawal symptoms and increase cessation success rates. While lifestyle changes and dietary adjustments can support quitting, they usually lack the effectiveness of medical therapies. For best results, a combination of both approaches is recommended under medical supervision. Are e-cigarettes a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, or do they pose their health risks? E-cigarettes eliminate many harmful toxins found in traditional cigarettes, making them relatively less harmful. However, they still contain nicotine and harmful vapors that can cause acute lung injury. Severe cases have involved mechanical ventilation and life-threatening complications. The long-term health effects remain uncertain, and early evidence raises serious concerns.
Daily Record
28-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
GP's top 10 tips to quit vaping ahead of disposables ban
It will be illegal to sell disposable vapes in the UK from Sunday, June 1- here's how to quit. The UK-wide ban on disposable vapes will come into force from this Sunday, June 1, when it will become outlawed to sell the colourful throwaway nicotine sticks. But although reusable vaping products will remain on our shelves, the ban is expected to spark incentive for many vapers to quit, especially given the recently discovered health consequences of vaping. The first study into the health effects of vaping, released in February, found that prolonged use can lead to heart disease, organ failure and even dementia. So, along with the ban, which aims to protect the environment and deter kids from vaping, it's no surprise that many who have a habit of puffing on the nicotine products will be looking to quit. GP Dr Bhavini Shah of LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor has shared some expert tips on how to quit vaping, just in time for the UK ban. She also shares why it's so hard to kick the nasty habit. Here's her expert medical advice on how to stop vaping for good. Why is it so hard to quit vaping? 'Most vapes contain nicotine, the same addictive substance as tobacco", shared the GP. "Nicotine can temporarily make you feel good, which is why you may often reach for your vape. The more you vape the more your body and brain get used to having nicotine. When you stop you may experience uncomfortable symptoms.' Nicotine withdrawal symptoms When you stop using nicotine, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, such as: Irritability Anxiety Difficulty concentrating Increased appetite Strong cravings 'These symptoms may be uncomfortable and unpleasant, but nicotine withdrawal can't hurt you", added the expert. How long does it take to stop vaping? The doctor explained: 'How long it takes to stop vaping depends on how much nicotine you vape, as this will influence the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. 'You could go 'cold turkey' and stop vaping suddenly, although this method often doesn't work. The NHS recommends stopping vaping gradually and when you're sure you won't go back to smoking cigarettes.' So how long it takes to stop vaping is up to you, however you can expect to experience: Withdrawal symptoms around 8 hours after your last vape After 24 hours withdrawal and cravings will start to peak At 72 hours (about 3 days) your withdrawals will be peaking, expect to feel irritable and have intense cravings to vape 'After 2-4 weeks your withdrawal symptoms should pass. This is where you'll need to focus on lifestyle changes and new habits to replace the time you spent vaping", continued the medical expert. Top 10 tips to quit vaping Reduce the strength of nicotine in your vape over time Create vaping rules - only vape on your breaks at work or outside your home Write down the reasons you want to quit Set a quit date Avoid your triggers (what makes you reach for the vape) Use Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) - You could use nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, or inhalers Get help –Join a support group or find your local Stop Smoking Service Stay active - Exercise can help reduce cravings Manage stress – Meditation, yoga, or deep breathing can help manage stress Keep your hands and mouth busy - Use sugar-free lollipops, straws, or stress balls Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
DRL gears up for biosimilar push, consumer health growth post record FY25
Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) has gained 5.5% on bourses in six trading sessions since declaring the fourth quarter numbers compared with a 3.6% increase in the BSE Healthcare index. The company reported double-digit growth in revenue and net profit for the March 2024 quarter. Revenue growth was driven by the acquisition of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) portfolio from UK's Haleon in June 2024. The next phase of growth once Revlimid sales taper after the drug goes off patent in January 2026, will be driven by biosimilars and Semaglutide portfolios. The company is likely to post double-digit revenue growth for FY26 but EBITDA margin may shrink to 25% from 28% in FY25 due to tapering sales of gRevlimid. Given this, analysts have reduced the target prices of the stock by 6-14%. Despite cuts, the target prices were 6-18% higher than the stock price on May 09 when the quarterly result was out and continue to remain above Monday's closing price of Rs1,219. Also, biosimilars and semaglutide offer future growth potential thereby supporting the stock price. On a year-on-year basis, DRL's revenue and net profit rose 20% and 21% year-on-year to Rs8,506 crore and Rs1,587 crore in the March 2025 quarter, respectively. Excluding NRT sales, revenue growth slowed to 12%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) increased for the fifth consecutive quarter to Rs2,474.9 crore, a year-on-year 32.2% growth. Full-year R&D investment was Rs2,738 crores, up 20% year-on-year. However, its proportion in revenue fell by 118 basis points to 8.5%. The company expects to retain the R&D expenditure in a similar range even after the gRevlimid sales normalise. It will be driven by building a differentiated pipeline spanning small molecules, biosimilars, and complex generics including peptides and cancer therapy. DRL completed 95 global generic filings, bringing the total for FY25 to 249. The company is about to launch GLP-1 (Semaglutide) globally during the current calendar year. Abatacept, a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, is into Phase III and the company plans to submit it for approval towards the end of 2025. The biosimilar segment remains a key growth driver in the coming quarters. According to Axis Securities, the company's two biosimilar drugs slated for launch in Europe have the potential to contribute $40–50 million in sales in FY26. Additionally, osteoporosis drug Denosumab, scheduled for launch in FY27, is estimated to generate $50 million in annual sales. The brokerage has cut the target price to Rs1,250 from Rs1,450 earlier, valuing the company at 17 times FY27 expected earnings. Elara Capital has lowered its FY26 earnings estimate 10% in anticipation of lower gRevlimid sales while raising FY27 estimate by 4% in anticipation of margin stability. The brokerage has highlighted price erosion in the US market and delay in product approvals as major risks to its forecast.
Economic Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
DRL gears up for biosimilar push, consumer health growth post record FY25
Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) has gained 5.5% on bourses in six trading sessions since declaring the fourth quarter numbers compared with a 3.6% increase in the BSE Healthcare index. The company reported double-digit growth in revenue and net profit for the March 2024 quarter. Revenue growth was driven by the acquisition of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) portfolio from UK's Haleon in June 2024. The next phase of growth once Revlimid sales taper after the drug goes off patent in January 2026, will be driven by biosimilars and Semaglutide portfolios. ADVERTISEMENT The company is likely to post double-digit revenue growth for FY26 but EBITDA margin may shrink to 25% from 28% in FY25 due to tapering sales of gRevlimid. Given this, analysts have reduced the target prices of the stock by 6-14%. Despite cuts, the target prices were 6-18% higher than the stock price on May 09 when the quarterly result was out and continue to remain above Monday's closing price of Rs1,219. Also, biosimilars and semaglutide offer future growth potential thereby supporting the stock price. On a year-on-year basis, DRL's revenue and net profit rose 20% and 21% year-on-year to Rs8,506 crore and Rs1,587 crore in the March 2025 quarter, respectively. Excluding NRT sales, revenue growth slowed to 12%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) increased for the fifth consecutive quarter to Rs2,474.9 crore, a year-on-year 32.2% growth. Full-year R&D investment was Rs2,738 crores, up 20% year-on-year. However, its proportion in revenue fell by 118 basis points to 8.5%. The company expects to retain the R&D expenditure in a similar range even after the gRevlimid sales normalise. It will be driven by building a differentiated pipeline spanning small molecules, biosimilars, and complex generics including peptides and cancer therapy. DRL completed 95 global generic filings, bringing the total for FY25 to company is about to launch GLP-1 (Semaglutide) globally during the current calendar year. Abatacept, a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, is into Phase III and the company plans to submit it for approval towards the end of biosimilar segment remains a key growth driver in the coming quarters. According to Axis Securities, the company's two biosimilar drugs slated for launch in Europe have the potential to contribute $40–50 million in sales in FY26. Additionally, osteoporosis drug Denosumab, scheduled for launch in FY27, is estimated to generate $50 million in annual sales. The brokerage has cut the target price to Rs1,250 from Rs1,450 earlier, valuing the company at 17 times FY27 expected earnings. ADVERTISEMENT Elara Capital has lowered its FY26 earnings estimate 10% in anticipation of lower gRevlimid sales while raising FY27 estimate by 4% in anticipation of margin stability. The brokerage has highlighted price erosion in the US market and delay in product approvals as major risks to its forecast. (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
Metro
18-05-2025
- Health
- Metro
I asked the doctor if I'd be alright - his response floored me
Watching the colour drain from my mum's and wife's faces, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. It was like I was watching them being told I was dead already. I'd been having chest pains for a couple of days, but instead of being concerned, I'd continuously put it down to stress. It was only after my wife kept on at me to go to hospital and get it checked that I finally discovered the truth… 'You're having a heart attack,' said the doctor. I remember asking him whether I was going to be alright, to which he just looked at me and said: 'I can't promise you that.' At that moment I made a silent promise to myself to quit smoking, for good. Growing up, I never saw smoking as a problem. My parents, grandparents and friends all did it so it's no wonder I took up the habit when I was 15. But what started as a social habit, only smoking when around friends, soon became an addiction – even if I didn't want to admit it. By my late thirties, I smoked at least 30 cigarettes a day and, though I could generally keep up with my peers, I was starting to have issues with my breathing. Ever since I'd had a large section of my right lung removed at the age of three, I'd always had problems in this area. But lately, the breathlessness was worse than usual. Over the next decade my lung health continued to decline until, aged 41, I was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) – a common condition that mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke. Having COPD meant I couldn't clear my airway properly, which led to a build-up of excess mucus that in turn gave me a persistent cough and meant I suffered recurring chest infections. The one thing that would have eased my symptoms would have been to quit smoking, so I tried using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). However, as soon as I experienced any type of stress, I'd turn back to cigarettes. 'One's not going to hurt me,' I'd think. Before I knew it though I'd have smoked a pack of 20. Each time I lapsed, I blamed myself, thinking I'd failed so what was the point in carrying on? Two years later, my COPD was worse than ever. I struggled for oxygen and it impacted my daily life – I'd get breathless getting out of the bath and even struggled to get ready in the morning. I vividly remember being sat on the bed trying to put a pair of socks on but I needed to stop and catch my breath while doing so. It was humiliating. Around that same time, my first grandchild was born. Yet despite being a 'young' grandad, I just couldn't keep up as I didn't have the energy. I knew I had to make changes and went back to the doctors to try to quit again. I managed to go cold turkey for a couple of weeks but that's as long as it lasted and soon, I felt like I was back to square one. Then at the age of 48, I started having those chest pains. At the hospital, doctor's said the pains were actually a heart attack, not indigestion as I had believed and I was shocked – my experience was nothing like the sudden pain and clutching of the chest that's depicted on TV and in films. Then, seeing the terrified looks on my loved ones faces, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. I'd done this to myself, I was in this position because I'd refused to quit smoking. I was transferred to James Cook University Hospital soon after where I had three stents fitted. Doctors told me afterwards it had been touch and go for a while as to whether I'd survive the surgery as my smoking was making every organ, including my heart, have to work much harder. Even though I'd already made my silent promise, I knew then I had to do better. Download the free NHS Quit Smoking app to try and quit today. Before my heart attack, I used to roll my eyes at anybody who asked me whether I smoked because I thought I was doing other things to protect myself, like eating healthily. But nearly dying made me realise how important health is. I had three grandchildren at the time, and I knew I needed, and wanted, to be around for them for a long time to come. Now, I've been smokefree for 18 months and my health has improved beyond my dreams. This time around I used a vape to help me quit – when I got cravings, I used that instead of returning to old habits – and I'm a lot less stressed because I finally feel I'm in control instead of the cigarettes controlling me. I've even had the chance to star in a TV ad for a regional quit smoking campaign, which is something I never thought I'd do. But, if hearing my story gives just one person the motivation to quit then I've done my job. Best of all though, I now feel better than ever. More Trending I'm enjoying life again and am even able to play on the beach with my grandkids without getting breathless. I'm so pleased I get to be here with them and make those precious memories. Smoking is one of the most lethal addictions of all but I know how hard quitting can be. The important thing to remember is that there is lots of support out there to help you to quit. No matter how many times you have tried before, you should never treat a blip as a failure – just try something else and keep going. View More » I never thought I'd be able to stop, but now I have and it's the best thing I ever did. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: My girlfriend asked a single question when I came out as trans MORE: 'I'm no anti-vaxxer, but I regret getting the Covid jab' MORE: I wound up in hospital after drinking 8 litres of water daily
